on Hold with ABD

[slg]

Oh dear. I'm such a big disney fan and I'm so disappointed that this trip is going so badly for so many people.

Disney is a big, big company and one would think that they would try to salvage their reputation over all these cancelations.

I'm sure the office is in crisis management right now, but I'm afraid so are a lot of us. And since we aren't such big fish, I suppose we want some accomodation.

At the moment, I agree, another ABD will not be in my future plans until they sort themselves out. I think they will, or else just cancel this whole idea, but I can't imagine that they will continue to operate this same confusing way. Face it, most of us book Disney because of their high level of customer service. And this is not what we were expecting.

 

[Tozzie]

Oh dear. I'm such a big disney fan and I'm so disappointed that this trip is going so badly for so many people.

Disney is a big, big company and one would think that they would try to salvage their reputation over all these cancelations.

I'm sure the office is in crisis management right now, but I'm afraid so are a lot of us. And since we aren't such big fish, I suppose we want some accomodation.

At the moment, I agree, another ABD will not be in my future plans until they sort themselves out. I think they will, or else just cancel this whole idea, but I can't imagine that they will continue to operate this same confusing way. Face it, most of us book Disney because of their high level of customer service. And this is not what we were expecting.

I am also a big Disney Fan, I own DVC and I have 3 trips to Florida Scheduled this year and yes the reason I booked my trip with ABD is because of the Dsiney name and the trust I had in them

 

[redzinner]

Oh dear. I'm such a big disney fan and I'm so disappointed that this trip is going so badly for so many people.

Disney is a big, big company and one would think that they would try to salvage their reputation over all these cancelations.

Yes, they are a big company but if they manage like other big companies every 'brand' or division is on its own when it comes to sink or swim. I truly do feel for the management of ABD. They must be agonizing over every canceled tour. They just don't have the depth of reserves or capital to weather the economical woes of today. I'm sure many people are canceling their tours because of the lack of funds which leaves ABD looking like the bad guys. Then there is the mentality of 'rats leaving a sinking ship' which compounds the troubles. Not an easy situation for anybody, company and customers.

 

[figmentfan2009]

After finding out in a conference call (since I had to sit at home and wait for no one to call me about my flights all day) that I won't be getting a raise despite a company that made record profits because the economy is in trouble and so they don't want to take any chances with the bunches of money that they actually did make... but hey... we aren't laying any of you losers off yet so don't whine... and we haven't actually decided whether we will cut wages or not so there...

I understand that everyone is hurting.

But I do expect a high quality of customer service... because they are Disney. Yesterday when i returned the call the person 'didn't want to rush me' and I should take my time to decide and call her back in the next couple hours to tell her so they don't fill up the date I might want.

And then last night I did call them back and they were nice about the change (and acted like they were doing me a favor by changing the trip that they canceled without charging me the difference between the early booking that I had on the trip I did book) and they told me that an airline specialist would be with me last night or today at the latest.

So I took the day off so I could be home to get this call. This call that never came and that I had to make to find out what the deal is. Customer service... my conference call today we were told that we need to become even more of a customer service organization and to see what we can do to not only keep the valuable customers that we have in this economy but to entice new customers to come to our company. Even if it means taking a loss on something in the name of good will or in the name of marketing the name, we need to show the customer that they are all that matters to the company...

I guess the dichotomy between a 250 employee company and Disney (even if it is a Disney subsidiary) is striking me as odd. I don't have a problem with them canceling the trip (I understand that they need to make a profit and having 2 or 3 rooms booked on a trip like this isn't going to be profitable, it's business) so much as with being left feeling like my time and inconvenience is irrelevant to them.

I agree, usually I'm left feeling like a valued guest. Today I'm feeling like I'm an inconvenience to them.

Maybe I'm just tired and frustrated.

Tomorrow it is my husband's turn to take the day off of work and wait for them to not call.

 

[dingoballs]

After finding out in a conference call (since I had to sit at home and wait for no one to call me about my flights all day) that I won't be getting a raise despite a company that made record profits because the economy is in trouble and so they don't want to take any chances with the bunches of money that they actually did make... but hey... we aren't laying any of you losers off yet so don't whine... and we haven't actually decided whether we will cut wages or not so there...

I understand that everyone is hurting.

But I do expect a high quality of customer service... because they are Disney. Yesterday when i returned the call the person 'didn't want to rush me' and I should take my time to decide and call her back in the next couple hours to tell her so they don't fill up the date I might want.

And then last night I did call them back and they were nice about the change (and acted like they were doing me a favor by changing the trip that they canceled without charging me the difference between the early booking that I had on the trip I did book) and they told me that an airline specialist would be with me last night or today at the latest.

So I took the day off so I could be home to get this call. This call that never came and that I had to make to find out what the deal is. Customer service... my conference call today we were told that we need to become even more of a customer service organization and to see what we can do to not only keep the valuable customers that we have in this economy but to entice new customers to come to our company. Even if it means taking a loss on something in the name of good will or in the name of marketing the name, we need to show the customer that they are all that matters to the company...

I guess the dichotomy between a 250 employee company and Disney (even if it is a Disney subsidiary) is striking me as odd. I don't have a problem with them canceling the trip (I understand that they need to make a profit and having 2 or 3 rooms booked on a trip like this isn't going to be profitable, it's business) so much as with being left feeling like my time and inconvenience is irrelevant to them.

I agree, usually I'm left feeling like a valued guest. Today I'm feeling like I'm an inconvenience to them.

Maybe I'm just tired and frustrated.

Tomorrow it is my husband's turn to take the day off of work and wait for them to not call.

Very well said! We are booked on 2 AbDs this year, so I can totally understand your situation.

While you're waiting for the call that may or may not come, maybe you can kill some time by contacting Mr. Ed Baklor, senior vice president of Adventures by Disney, to let him know what's on your mind...

 

[Phil1019]

Hi, I too was waiting for the call from the air specialist after they canceled my Costa Rica trip on 4/18/09. I rebooked for 07/08/09. THEY NEVER CALLED ME BACK! I had to call them . I was told they booked me on the same flights as previously booked. It would have been nice for them to let me know. Ya think?

 

[figmentfan2009]

Apparently NOW you have to REQUEST to have them call you back with your flight information (I guess, otherwise) you just have to be surprised when you get to the airport or something.

I was supposed to get a call Tuesday night with flight information... or maybe Wednesday... Wednesday night I called and found out that I was in the queue to be helped Thursday morning.

DH figured out that we were "being helped" when he checked our old flight reservation number and it was canceled. Okay... so maybe someone will call... wait... wait... wait... 5 pm central time I got mad and called THEM again (30 min on hold) and I find out that since I never ASKED to be called back (you know.... so I would know that I actually had a flight and what number to type in to actually get the boarding passes) so they didn't figure they had to.

Great... thanks... One day vacation for me to sit at home and not get called... one day vacation for hubby to sit home and not get called only to find out we wouldn't have been able to go to china because all of our vacation would have been used up sitting at home waiting for calls that we were told would come but because we didn't ACTUALLY request that they come, they weren't going to.

I think they need to sit down and think through their customer service model after this fiasco of an adventure in booking and rebooking.

BUT... we are booked and have all relevant information and even have changed the seats that we had by default on the plane and are back in count down mode... 161 days... I hope.

 

[lakerz5]

Apparently NOW you have to REQUEST to have them call you back with your flight information (I guess, otherwise) you just have to be surprised when you get to the airport or something.

I was supposed to get a call Tuesday night with flight information... or maybe Wednesday... Wednesday night I called and found out that I was in the queue to be helped Thursday morning.

DH figured out that we were "being helped" when he checked our old flight reservation number and it was canceled. Okay... so maybe someone will call... wait... wait... wait... 5 pm central time I got mad and called THEM again (30 min on hold) and I find out that since I never ASKED to be called back (you know.... so I would know that I actually had a flight and what number to type in to actually get the boarding passes) so they didn't figure they had to.


Great... thanks... One day vacation for me to sit at home and not get called... one day vacation for hubby to sit home and not get called only to find out we wouldn't have been able to go to china because all of our vacation would have been used up sitting at home waiting for calls that we were told would come but because we didn't ACTUALLY request that they come, they weren't going to.

I think they need to sit down and think through their customer service model after this fiasco of an adventure in booking and rebooking.

BUT... we are booked and have all relevant information and even have changed the seats that we had by default on the plane and are back in count down mode... 161 days... I hope.

So after all the waiting and days off...what did they rebook you to???